Quiz 3 week 9 Attacks: Higher Criticism Flashcards
What does higher criticism stress?
Human rather than divine
What does ‘criticism’ mean in this context?
A rational evaluation to uncover the meaning of the text
Lower criticism is textual criticism
Which reading best uncovers the meaning of the text
When comparing manuscripts
first determine which text is original
TC Hammond 3 steps for textual criticism
look within, look beyond, look at other writings
Who were the fundamentalists who praised Higher Criticism?
Dyson Hague and RA Torrey
What is the goal of higher criticism?
Understand the original sense toward the original audience
What are the Supplemental Disciplines of HC?
Literary Criticism Source Criticism Form Criticism Redaction Criticism Tradition Criticism
What is Literary Criticism?
Examining text as artistic production
E.g. literary devices that communicate desired meaning.
What is Source Criticism?
Identifies and isolates sources
What does source criticism look for?
Breaks in narrative e.g. quotes from outside documents
e.g. Mark was 1st gospel; Mt and Luke quote Mark and Q
What does Form criticism look at?
Sociological setting that influenced the material e.g. Essene community acted differently from main Jewish culture
What does Redaction Criticism look at?
The way in which the final author modified the material. E.g. death of Rachel in Genesis mentions Bethlehem; Hivites lived in “Dan”
The way the editor promoted a theological interest.
What does Tradition Criticism look at?
Traditions that developed between the time the events took place and the time when they were written about.. E.g. 30 years between Jesus’ ministry and gospel accounts–what hymns and creeds written, Lord’s supper developed.
Where did HC originate BC?
Zenodotus 330-260 BC 1st librarian in Alexandria
What was the Fourfold reading?
Spiritual
Moral
Literal
Eschatological
Where did HC originate in the Church age?
Antiochian, Origen, Chrystostom –looked for literal but eventually lost to “Fourfold”
When did HC revive?
In the Renaissance/Reformation, good use of HC
How did Descartes contribute?
generated skepticism, advocated reason, naturalist presuppositions
How did Spinoza contribute?
His influential Tractatus offered “scientific” interpretation of the Bible–use the same process as doing science. Use the Natural light of Reason. Denied miracles and divine inspiration.
How did David Hume 1711-76 contribute?
Influenced by Spinoza. Denied miracles.
How did Schleiermacher and Bultmann contribute? 1880-1950 German
Man’s knowledge and mastery of the world has progressed to the point where no one can believe the NT. Nothing can be known about the life and personality of Jesus.
What good thing were the HC’s trying to do?
Defend Christianity in the face of redaction and other criticism. Lower Bible’s importance to preserve Christianity itself.
How are HC and Mechanical Inspiration two extremes?
HC overemphasizes human authorship
Mechanical Inspirationists overemphasize divine dictation, neglecting the historical context and intent of author.
